Posted by MarsBike on July 04, 2008 at 23:12:26:
In Reply to: How to destroy lustful thoughts posted by Elphaba676 on July 04, 2008 at 11:02:05:
Alas,
you can't get rid of them once and for all.
Or rather,
you can,
but it's not something that
can happen quickly.
I only know of one or two cases of someone actually getting rid of sexual
temptations permanently; the case that I can think of involved first forty years of prayer and
fasting alone in the desert; not exactly something that applies easily to your situation.
There are,
however,
techniques for avoiding temptation.
Think back over what happens
around your temptations.
Often,
there's an unexpected pattern; for example,
in my case,
irregular sleeping patterns tend to increase lust.
Don't give up,
even if you slip; demons are tricky,
and have millennia more experience than
any of us do; they are also patient,
and work well with lulling us into a false sense of security -
- making us think that they're gone,
so we'll let our guard down.
Regular advice from someone experienced,
preferably in real life,
not the internet,
is generally
quite helpful.
Clergy would be probably the easiest choice; often,
if you live near
monasteries,
monks or nuns can provide spiritual direction as well (Catholic monasteries do
this quite commonly,
I hear; you don't have to be Catholic,
either -- my parents are Baptist,
and my mom,
along with most of the ministerial staff at their church,
get regular advice from
some nuns for their spiritual lives.)
The most important and effective thing is prayer and fasting.
That,
after all,
is how Christ
approached temptation.
Just be careful not to do it without guidance,
lest you fall into
delusion.